Spirit of the Earth's Kiss
by Casa Circe
Summary: A mysterious force is at work, one that involves a bunch of prophets and a union that will bring about an immense power. What's going on? Sanzo and the gang are about to find out...COMPLETED!
1. Pieces that Fit the Puzzle

_Disclaimer: Am I Minekura Kazuya? No. Do I own Saiyuki? No._

_NOTE: This was my first attempt at fan fiction which I left behind for several years. Now that I'm trying to clean up my list of incomplete stories, I've decided to finish this. But before adding a chapter, I revised this first one and got rid of a subplot which I found silly and unnecessary._

_I hope you enjoy this new and improved version of the chapter. This is not going to be a long story and I will update as often as I can in between school work._

Chapter One: Pieces Fit the Puzzle

The magnificent palace of the Goddess of Mercy, up in the heavens, stood in all its glory, and the Goddess herself, sat, in all her radiance (and not to mention with a pair of binoculars in her hand), gazing down at the world and its comings and goings. For a moment, her brow contracted in a familiar look of thoughtfulness and foresight. And then she relaxed and smiled.

The entrance of her servant and constant companion, Jiroushin, briefly interrupted her reverie.

"Goddess of Mercy," the fellow began, "these documents need to be signed, regarding the appointment of a new fighting…"

He paused abruptly upon seeing her enigmatic grin.

"What can you see? What will happen to the world below?" He stopped his trail of inquiries as she raised a hand to silence him. He frowned disapprovingly.

"Today, Jiroushin," she proceeded to explain, "we will witness the beginning of the emergence of a great force. Those idiots who call themselves the Prophets of the Power call this the Union of the Two Destructive Forces. But it's really just a little love affair. One that will turn the gears of destiny."

She chuckled softly.

_That's not a good sign,_Jiroushin thought silently, and a worried expression spread over his face.

"Why so glum, Jiroushin?" the Goddess teased, "we will have another interesting show to watch, one that will keep us on the edge of our seats." And she smiled slyly.

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"Sanzo," wailed a persistent Goku, "I'm…"

"WE DO NOT HAVE FOOD!" the complaints of the childish boy were cut off by the rapid and angry answer of the fair-haired monk.

"Hey, you corrupt monk," teased redheaded Gojyo, "don't be so cranky or else you'll have more wrinkles on your face!"

However the only satisfaction he received from making such a remark, was the pain of a spirit-ascending gun jab (and not very gently) the back of his crimson head.

"Guys, guys, simmer down," declared the peace-loving Hakkai, "we are nearing a town where we can drop by to rest and replenish our supplies and… Oh, Boy!"

The latter comment was made on account that his companions had not stopped bickering with each other despite his words. But then, he was used to it. They all were.

Later that day, they did reach a town, and the rhythm of conversation shifted slightly.

"Wow, pork buns, and dumplings, and noodles and sushi… and … and." his mouth watered as Goku gazed at the local delicacies of the town which were all on display in the plaza.

"It looks like you've had a very fruitful harvest this year," Hakkai remarked to a one of the townspeople, an elderly gentleman with a long beard.

"Indeed, we have," the man replied, "this is the good fortune brought by our hospitable treatment of the mystics who have graced us with their presence."

The old man smiled with contentment as he recalled the favorable circumstances.

"Mystics?" Hakkai inquired politely.

"Oh yes," the old man replied, "they call themselves the Prophets of the Power, and their spiritual powers have been protecting us from misfortune, especially from any of the youkai that have gone mad."

The four members of Sanzo's party looked at each other silently. Even Goku sensed that there was something suspicious about all this. But they decided that they would investigate it further once they settled in.

Gojyo was trying to get the attention of a slender, young, brown-haired woman and when he finally caught her eye, she saw the man behind him. With a loud gasp, she cried out, "It's a Master Sanzo!"

And before the four companions realized what was happening, they were surrounded by a multitude of people all struggling to get a glimpse of Sanzo. In an instant, the others understood the situation.

"Sanzo said he wants the best food in town," Goku started taking advantage of the development.

"And he likes to preach only to the pretty girls," Gojyo added.

WHAM! Both felt the wrath of the paper fan.

"Indeed, we are very honored to have the privilege of receiving another very prominent personage of our religion in our humble town. Allow us to pay you every respect and honor that is in our power." This speech was given by a tall, lanky man, who seemed to be the leader of the town.

"I thank you for your warm reception of me and my companions, but please understand that we are on a very important mission and seek only to stay but for awhile to rest and we will be on our way," replied Sanzo in a very civil tone.

"Very well, then," responded the mayor, "but during your brief visit, I hope you have the chance to meet with our resident spiritualists. I'm sure that they would be very glad to speak with you."

Sanzo nodded gravely.

Later on, when they were amongst themselves, the four discussed the situation.

"Do you think they're another fraud?" Gojyo asked Hakkai, as they walked to residential quarters of the strange prophets.

"They may not be," replied the latter, "because the fakes usually travel in groups posing as Sanzo's Party?"

"Do you know them, Sanzo?" Goku inquired.

"Hmph" was the only reply he received. Sanzo said not a word and he had extinguished the cigarette he was smoking, a sign of disgust.

"Huh? What are you saying, you corrupt monk?" asked Gojyo.

"I've vaguely heard of them from the other monks at the temple," was the reply of the former, "but they're not really as important or as powerful as they make themselves out to be. They're obsessed with trying to harness this mysterious power which they say has been prophesied."

"Great power?" Goku asked curiously, "that's not so weird. Everyone wants power."

"That's true," Hakkai agreed, "but it's the way people try to get power that can be messed up."

"So, are they the kind of crackpots we have to be worried about?" Gojyo asked.

"No idea," the monk replied curtly, "I couldn't care less. But if they get in our way, we'll just have to deal with them."

They reached the gate of the temple where the prophets were residing. As they knocked, a hooded figure opened the gate to peer at them suspiciously.

He recognized Sanzo immediately and gave a respectful bow. The monk nodded in acknowledgment. They exchanged the necessary greetings and introductions.

But when the man turned to glance at Sanzo's companions, his eyes widened slightly when he saw Goku. The yokai stared back innocently.

"I'm very sorry," the man said hurriedly, "but we cannot allow these others into our sacred ground at the moment. We are in the middle of a very important ritual that cannot be disrupted."

Sanzo raised an eyebrow at this but then nodded curtly.

"Well, then, we take our leave," the monk said, before turning around to do just that. The others followed suit after shrugging.

"What was that about?" Gojyo asked later on.

"Whatever it is, I'm not interested," Sanzo said, "they clearly don't want any guests, and to be honest, I don't like the looks of their place anyway."

"At least we've paid our courtesies," Hakkai said cheerfully, "and there will be no need to speak with them anymore."

"Hmmph," Sanzo replied, lighting a cigarette.

"That guy was creepy," Goku commented, "and he kept staring at me."

"Probably because you have such a silly looking face," Gojyo teased.

"HEY!" Goku protested, and their familiar bickering began again. Sanzo rolled his eyes and Hakkai merely laughed.

The remainder of the day passed uneventfully. They were able to get special hotel accommodations and a free buffet. In spite of this, all of them still felt that they would have to keep a careful eye on the mysterious prophets.

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Meanwhile at Houtou Castle in Tenjiku..

"Mr. Prince," declared the sly Dr. Ni, "there is a report from one of our informants that there is some suspicious going on in a town in the southern region. Some strange spiritual activity is disrupting the effects of the minus wave. And there is also something of interest to you, I suppose."

He snickered tauntingly.

"Your friends, Sanzo's party, are reported to be there as well. You could say hello to them on the way."

Another annoying giggle.

Kougaiji glared at the lunatic.

_Hmmph,_he thought. "Dokugakuji, Yaone, Lirin, let's go!" he said.

"Yeah! Going to kick some butt again, older brother," Lirin cried enthusiastically.

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After observing the strange dealings of the Prophets of the Power and hearing accounts of them from the other townspeople, Sanzo and the others decided that there was more to them than meets the eye.

"And if their presence really is causing discrepancies in the minus wave," Hakkai said, "then, maybe Kougaiji and company will attempt to subdue them."

"They're probably on their way here right now," Sanzo said plainly.

"We'll have to keep our guard up, won't we, guys?" Hakkai said cheerfully.

The smile disappeared from Hakkai's face.

"Now, where did those two wander to?"

Sanzo lit another cigarette.

"How annoying," he said irritably, "let's split up and find those two idiots before they do harm themselves."

After an hour or so of searching, Sanzo was passing by a strange row of dark alleys. After walking past it, he felt compelled to go back. There was something there. He sensed danger. He loaded his gun and walked to where he started. In one of the alleys, a strange light was glowing. Cautiously, he approached the area, step by step, put the safety off his revolver, got ready to shoot and…

"Hold it, hold it. I'm not a foe," spoke a man dressed like a soldier with a charka on his forehead. This man, was, in fact, Jiroushin.

"Genjo Sanzo, I am Jiroushin, attendant to the Goddess of Mercy."

Sanzo's arm relaxed and he replied, "And you have a message from the old hag, I suppose? Another dumb order?"

"Well, not exactly, it's just that she's been in a thoughtful mood, making strange prophecies but she doesn't specify what they're about. But I suspect it isn't good."

"And what do you want me to do about it?"

"Just beware. Something's amuck. Rely on your eyes of mind. Something's coming."

"I know."

As Jiroushin disappeared, Sanzo added to himself, "I've felt it too."

He had been hearing voices, indistinct mutterings, he had been seeing strange shadows, strange shapes. But he wasn't about to act on anything he didn't know much about.

_I agree,_he thought, extinguishing another cigarette, _something's definitely amuck._

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Hakkai's searching, on the other hand, had been as fruitless as Sanzo's.

"Oh, boy. Where have they been going to?" he uttered hopelessly. He turned at a corner and bumped into someone quite familiar.

" Yaone-san, what are you doing here?"

"Hakkai-san, well, we're supposed to investigate something about the monks here but Miss Lirin's run off and now, I have to find her."

"That's strange. Goku and Gojyo seem to be missing as well."

But at that moment, Goyjo came around the curb and greeted them.

"What is this?" said he, raising an eyebrow suggestively, "am I interrupting something?"

"Oh no," both replied hastily.

"Well," Hakkai sighed, "this at least narrows our missing persons list to Goku and Lirin. I suggest we look for them together, Yaone-san. After all, two heads are better than one."

He smiled brightly. He always enjoyed spending time with the alchemist, especially when they didn't have to fight each other.

"I agree," replied Yaone, blushing slightly.

"Well, since three's a crowd," remarked Gojyo gallantly, "I'd better go find that corrupted monk before anyone gets hurt." He walked off and they parted.

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"Hmmm…Where am I?" Goku exclaimed, "oh no, I'm lost and then Sanzo will get angry at me again. Hmmm."

He whimpered and then glanced around him. "What kind of place is this?"

He seemed to be in the midst of old ruins of a temple of some sort. There were ancient pillars all around, bits of the foundation of a seemingly sturdy building now overpowered by the weeds and overgrowth. And so much grass, like he was in some kind of field.

"Something doesn't feel right, something doesn't seem normal in this whole setting," Goku observed.

The grassland he seemed to be in was swarming with peculiar looking plants that appeared to wither and grope for foundation at the same time. They looked dead but they were alive. The sky above him was devoid of birds and clouds, just gray and misty. It seemed to be whispering something to him but he couldn't distinguish anything.

And Goku felt like he was being watched, a most unpleasant premonition. He stood absolutely still, vigilant and apprehensive of some unknown peril.

He sat to rest on a broken pillar in a remote corner. After looking around him some more, he had felt that he could trust this particular spot. The vines that wrapped their slender arms around the pillars seemed ready to grab him and strangle him. He did not want to drop his guard down any time soon.

"What a creepy place," he said to himself. There was a low rumbling sound. But he was not alarmed. "I'm so hungry."

A branch snapped. Goku stood instantly and brandished his weapon. He walked towards the origin of the noise. He raised his staff and prepared to attack and…

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!"

Both Lirin and Goku gaped at one another incredulously. She had been the one who started the noise.

"Since you're here, we might as well find something to eat," she declared, but with a hint of unease in her tone. That was noted by her companion.

"Here? No way, I wouldn't trust the grass we are standing on," he replied. Both were silent.

"Ne, isn't your brother with you?" Goku said, attempting to start a conversation to reduce the tension which was rapidly increasing.

"He was, but I lost my way and after walking a while, I came here."

"Why?" The question was addressed to someone other than Lirin and they both knew it.

"I felt," said she, breaking the uncomfortable silence, "That I had to meet someone here."

Goku's eyes widened in disbelief. He had had the exact sensation. In a tone that was almost unintelligible, he muttered, "You had the _dream_ too?"

This time it was her turn to be surprised. They looked at each other and were silent, each frantically recalling the dream that had haunted them for months.

_There was swirling mist everywhere and an aura of danger. A strange intensity throbbed in Goku's chest as he passed into the surreal haze. He was walking towards something, he knew not what. He had lost all sense of direction. _

_After a while what he sought finally came into sight. Before him stood a figure, basked in ethereal luminosity and he felt every muscle in his body tense as he moved towards it. However, this was not the wariness he felt when he met an enemy at battle, it was an unfathomable desire to go near that figure, to meet it and to be where it was._

_And just as he would lean forward, his face growing closer to that wonderful stranger, everything would disappear in a flash and he would wake up._

Lirin's version was not too different.

_She was standing extraordinarily still in an extremely bright place. The light was not glaring but it was warm and gentle, bathing her in a strange and soft radiance. Lirin did not budge. It was not because she was incapable of doing so but more because of an impression that she was waiting for someone. Then, she would see a figure approaching her and all of a sudden, her entire being was consumed with an unimaginable feeling, a yearning to be with that figure as soon as can be. And just as it came into sight, the entire scene would vanish and she would be sitting up in her bed._

"No way!" Lirin cried stubbornly. "It couldn't have been YOU I was waiting for, you of all people, it just can't be!"

"Well, it's not like I WANTED it to be you, I'm just as shocked as you are, believe me," retorted Goku.

"But what did this dream mean? Surely, we won't just MEET like this, here, for no reason," she pondered aloud.

"That's true but how do you expect me to know?" Goku answered irritably.

And for once, these two seemingly simple-minded beings were lost in their own thoughts on things other than personal nourishment.


	2. Growing Affinity,Accelerating Attraction

_Disclaimer: Am I Minekura Kazuya? No. Do I own Saiyuki? No._

_NOTE: I've updated at last! I know it's been more than five years but I want to prove that I haven't forgotten this story yet._

_I've now put this story at the top of my fan fiction priorities because I want to have less incomplete stories on my profile. So to everyone interested in this, you can expect updates coming as fast as I can write them. It's not going to be a long story anyway so I hope to finish it soon._

_To those who put this on their alerts list, I revised and improved the first chapter, so you might want to re-read it to see the changes I put. This chapter also reflects some of my shipping biases for the series. Though the story is mainly under Goku/Lirin, you'll soon see the other pairing I love._

_I hope you all enjoy this next chapter. The whole thing's a bit cheesy so please do forgive me._

**Chapter Two: A Growing Affinity, Accelerating Attraction**

"Ch," Sanzo muttered as he extinguished yet another cigarette, "This whole situation is really beginning to get on my nerves. How annoying!"

He strode down the busy streets straining with his amethyst eyes for a sight of a brown-haired boy with golden pupils. He had been searching for nearly 3 hours now, spending the first hour peeping in at every restaurant, stopping to ask at every food stall he could possibly come upon as well as other places he expected Goku to frequent. Sanzo had been surprised to see how large the town actually was.

But somehow he felt, he would not find Goku in any of those places, at least not today. A strange voice that seemed to bubble up from his unconscious seemed to be telling him that today Goku was to be found in a place where you least expected him to be.

_It's just a hunch, _Sanzo thought, _but usually my hunches lead me to the target._

Sanzo had also been sensing a gathering of energy invisible forces seemed to be acting at a certain place, amassing at a particular area.

Usually, he wouldn't care any less but something really fishy was going on. Jiroushin had already warned him of a potential danger, but, much to his exasperation, he could not pinpoint exactly what was going to happen.

"Well, we'll just have to wait and see," he thought although he could not help but be irritated by this hindrance to their mission. But there wasn't much they could do until they knew more about what was going on in that creepy town.

Needless to say, the monk was not in a good mood.

Added to that, he had smoked all his cigarettes.

"Ch," he muttered in an irritated tone as he crushed the empty box of cigarettes and threw it away, "this is such a crappy day."

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Two other people were not in such bad spirits. Goku and Lirin's sudden disappearance was proving to be an excellent opportunity for Hakai and Yaone to spend some time together that didn't involve any fighting. They were both enjoying themselves more than they believed they should as they leisurely walked about the town, as if they had no tasks to attend to.

They weren't too worried about the two young youkai so much but neither did they want to return to their serious companions just yet.

"It's been a while since we've last spoken to each other," Hakkai remarked with his usual smile, "without being in the middle of a fight, I mean."

"You must be right," Yaone replied, laughing softly, "it's pleasant to just talk like this every now and then."

It wasn't as if they got much accomplished when they did face each other in battle. They were both too polite to each other to do any real damage. And though they would not admit it openly, they were reluctant to harm each other as well.

"You are certainly a more pleasant companion than those in my group," Hakkai complimented her, "as much as I am accustomed to their habits, I enjoy a break from the chaos when I can find it."

"I must admit, it can be quite taxing to deal with my group as well," Yaone admitted, smiling at the thought of their irritable companions, "but we have to take care of them all as best as we can."

"That's true, but I think your loyalty to Kougaiji is much stronger than any bond the four of us share," Hakkai said, laughing at the idea of feeling that kind of blind allegiance to Sanzo.

Yaone raised an eyebrow at him curiously.

"But I think that what you all have is something quite powerful," she said seriously, "even if it is completely different from my loyalty to Lord Kougaiji. After all, you've stayed together through many trials, haven't you?"

Hakkai pondered this for a few moments and found that he had to agree.

"You're right, of course," he replied gravely but still with a smile, "we have been through a lot together."

Seeing that she had put him in a pensive mood, Yaone almost regretted what she had said. Hakkai noticed her unease immediately and flashed her a smile of reassurance. They were surprised at how easily they were able to read each other's minds, and how constantly concerned they were about each other.

The sensation was a familiar one but one neither wanted to confront just yet.

They walked on and talked about many other, less serious things, and merely enjoyed the chance to get to know each other better.

"I really enjoy these little conversations, Yaone-san," Hakkai told her, "but I doubt we will have many other opportunities for them."

Yaone merely nodded at this.

"I'm almost thankful that there's something suspicious and dangerous for you to investigate," Hakkai said lightly though his tone implied something deeper, "because it gives us a chance to talk like this."

And yet, they knew that there were some terrifyingly crazy moments when they wanted to do more than just talk. There was something hidden behind their mutual smiles that unnerved and excited them at the same time.

"Yaone-san," Hakkai said gravely, stopping to look her in the eyes. She was looking down and now slowly, carefully returned his gaze.

"Yes?" she asked nervously, blushing when she saw the powerful emotion in his green eyes, and hoping that hers did not betray too much at once.

"Do you think," he began anxiously, his usual composure gone, "if, the situation had been different…"

"I know," she interrupted him sadly, her tone showing how much she understood what he meant, "but it will not do to dwell on what if's right now."

She looked away uncomfortably and heard him sigh.

"You're right, of course," Hakkai answered, "forgive me for bringing it up."

Yaone was instantly sorry for wounding him but when she turned to face him again, he was smiling at her reassuringly. She smiled back.

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"I always enjoy our little family reunions," Gojyo commented as he bumped into Dokugakuji in the town market.

The older brother smiled affably. In spite of their different circumstances, they were still brothers. And both knew that unless their allegiance was truly tested, they would not hurt each other.

They exchanged the necessary greetings and information before deciding to join forces, more to tour the town than to accomplish anything. They were both fairly certain that their two targets would show up some time.

But what they began to discuss more seriously was the incomprehensible threat of the strange mystics in town.

"Sanzo knows more about them than he wants to let on," Gojyo told his brother, "but by the looks of things, they aren't a pleasant bunch to deal with."

"You guys probably know more than we do," Dokugakuji replied, "we were sent here specifically to gather some information about them and their weird activities."

"Well, Sanzo looked crankier than usual when he met them so I get a feeling that they have the potential to be a real pain in the ass," the younger man said with a grin.

Dokugakuji sighed and shook his head.

"All this and you don't look the least bit concerned," the older brother said.

"Why anticipate danger too much?" Gojyo said lightheartedly, lighting a cigarette, "we'll do what we do when we have to. But for now, it isn't really worth the stress."

"Always so laid back, I see," Dokugakuji teased.

"Ha, it's not like you're busy doing any real work," Gojyo replied with a grin, "or else, why would you be hanging out with me?"

"Good point."

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They had been sitting away from each other in an uneasy silence for several minutes, each pondering on the disturbing dream they had had and how the reality was not up to their expectations.

It was unnerving to see each other and to try and reconcile what they had felt in the dream to how they usually felt for each other. They knew what they had been about to do in that crucial moment just before waking up but now, they weren't too sure about it anymore.

After all, they knew what they were to each other. Or at least, they thought they did.

Though not quite enemies, they were on opposite sides. And it wasn't as if the relationship between their two groups was complicated enough.

Goku felt an unfamiliar throbbing in his chest and a weird surge of energy all through his body. He placed a hand on his power limiter to check but it was nothing like the times when he was about to lose control. This was something else entirely, something he could not quite explain.

Lirin was likewise affected and she wondered what could have made her so jumpy and wary of Goku all of a sudden. She had never really thought about him in _that _way before. She blushed heavily when she realized what this meant and shook her head.

The two youkai glanced at each other and then turned away quickly.

Why was it so awkward between them all of a sudden?

Goku glanced at her carefully and began to consider things. He had some idea of what it was like to like a girl. He had been around Gojyo long enough to pick up a few things, clueless though he was about life most of the time. But he had never imagined thinking such things about Lirin, of all people.

And yet, he had to admit, that despite everything, she was kind of cute. She was a powerful fighter and an affectionate sister. And though, they fought over food a lot, he was actually a bit glad to find someone else who enjoyed eating as much as he did.

And for such a childish girl, her body was quite mature.

Goku blushed immediately at this thought and tried to drive it away. What had gotten into him today?

But after more consideration, he concluded that it wasn't so strange to like Lirin after all. And maybe, just maybe, there was _something _there. He couldn't quite articulate what he meant.

As for Lirin, her own reflections did not differ much from Goku's. She had been watching him too and considering some of his finer qualities. He was strong, to be sure, almost dangerously so. And though he was an idiotic loudmouth, he seemed to be a good enough guy, and a loyal friend.

And there were times that she could get lost in those golden eyes of his.

Startled at such strange realizations, Lirin blushed and looked away from him, determined not to look or say anything to him at all. This could not be happening. It was all so confusing.

She was so engrossed in trying to ignore him that she did not notice him walk up to her hesitantly.

"Are you really that disappointed," Goku asked seriously, "to know that I might be the one in your dream?"

"Well, of course," she answered quickly, "I mean, aren't you?"

She looked at him and was surprised by the unfamiliar expression in his face. In his golden eyes, there was a mixture of hurt and something else she could not name. She instantly regretted making him feel bad, and then she was surprised at herself.

As if recalling himself, Goku merely shrugged.

"Not really," he said softly.

Lirin's eyes widened at him and saw that he had an uncharacteristically serious expression. She

grew nervous and excited at the same time.

"What do you mean?" she asked anxiously.

"I mean," he began shyly, "at least I can put a face to the figure in the dream now, and not just a shadow."

"But do you really think that.."

"I don't know. I don't understand any of this."

"Oh."

"Forget it. It's not a big deal anyway."

They looked away again uncomfortably and blushed. What was happening?

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"She always chooses the most inconvenient times to wander around," Kougaiji thought in irritation as he balanced between investigating on the mysteriously powerful prophets and looking for his younger sister.

Though he could not pin it down to anything definite, he could sense that something potentially disastrous was going on. The strange thing was that he could not quite let go of his older brotherly protective feelings all the while he was suspicious of the weird monks residing in that town. He could not imagine how Lirin would be directly involved in all of this, and he didn't want to speculate too much.

But it was extremely frustrating to be vaguely aware of danger and unaware of how to properly address it.

The youkai prince frowned. Wasn't life complicated enough for unknown elements to rear their ugly heads like this? There were still so many things that needed to be done.

At this rate, he couldn't even think about how to take advantage of the presence of Sanzo's party in that town. But then again, even though they had crossed paths many times in the past, no real progress was made on either side. It was almost as if they were reluctant to take each other seriously. Sometimes it seemed that they were exchanging pleasantries.

Kougaiji shook his head and then stood still, catching a whiff of something peculiar in the air. He narrowed his eyes. Whatever this thing was, it wasn't good.

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"The time draws near," the whispers echoed in the air, "the pieces are moving to their places."

Shadows scurried back and forth in the back ways, figures hurrying to a certain venue before the appointed time. The pieces had moved to their places, and the great event that they had been waiting for so long was now about to take place.

Storm clouds gathered in the middle of the day. The sky darkened and a foul mood fell over the whole town. People grew afraid and all went home and shut the doors and windows. In minutes, the streets were deserted as everyone had decided to go safely into hiding.

The only remaining wanderers were the newcomers and they noticed the darkening clouds immediately. And though they were all in different parts of the town, they all simultaneously decided to proceed to the center of the storm, which was like a whirlpool in the sky.

Some of them had even been in cheerful moods before this but now they grew perfectly serious.

After all, erratic weather was never a good omen.

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"Ne, Lirin?" Goku asked shyly.

"What?" she answered, not as confidently as she had wanted to sound.

She noted with growing nervousness that he was walking closer to her and she had averted her eyes. Soon, she was looking down at where his two feet were standing next to hers.

"Well," Goku began, trying not to lose his nerve.

"What is it?" she asked, half-impatient, half-afraid.

"Aren't you," he said hesitantly, "aren't you even a little curious?"

"What?" she asked, looking up at him incredulously and realizing just how close they were to each other.

They blushed furiously and yet Goku did not increase the distance between them.

"I mean," he continued frantically, "don't you want to know what it's like…to..uh.."

Lirin was torn. She didn't like where this was going and yet some part of her wanted it. It was maddening.

"You're kidding, right?" she retorted, but with some hesitation in her voice, "why would I want to kiss you?"

"And why would I kiss you?" Goku managed to snap back. But their faces were only inches away.

Goku sighed and gathered courage again.

"It's not a big deal, you know," he tried to argue, "Gojyo does it all the time."

"Yeah, so now what?" Lirin asked, her heart pounding furiously.

"Well, since it was in the dream and everything," Goku said, "don't you want to try it and just see what happens?"

She looked at him nervously but saw that he was being perfectly serious. His golden eyes burned into hers.

"Well," she answered softly, "it's just out of curiosity so it's not a big deal, right?"

"Yeah," he answered, his heart beating fast, as he waited in suspense, "exactly."

Lirin gave him one final questioning look before sighing and nodding ever so slightly.

"Okay."


	3. A Union of Destruction

_Disclaimer: Am I Minekura Kazuya? No. Do I own Saiyuki? No._

_NOTE: Now, the really fun part begins. I'm going to try to keep the story as interesting as possible and everyone (more or less) in character. This is my first attempt to write Saiyuki fan fiction though I love the series so much. And it's to pass the time until Reload Blast is finished and hopefully, they will animate the final chapter of the awesome journey._

_The next chapters are supposed to be action-laden but I don't write action scenes as well as I would wish to so please just bear with me. Use your imagination as much as you can._

_And there will be a lot of dialogue as well, but I'll try to keep everyone in character. Read on and enjoy._

**Chapter Three: A Union of Destruction**

"Well, well, well," Ni Jenyi commented with a soft chuckle, "looks like we're in for quite a show today, aren't we, Mr. Bunny?"

The nefarious doctor was alone in his office with only the dim glow of the computer monitor to illuminate the dark room. He grinned sadistically as he watched the events in the remote town unfold.

"This is certainly an interesting development," he commented to his stuffed companion, "who would have thought that all these years those crackpot prophets were actually on to something?"

Once again, he chucked as he played audience to an unexpected spectacle. Lirin could always be depended on for some light entertainment, but this time the tracking and monitoring device he had placed on her was revealing so much more.

"Whatever the results of this are," Ni thought slyly, "I can already think of a few adjustments to make on our experiments."

The screen filled with exciting images and the doctor sat back comfortably in his chair.

"But for now, my dear," he told his stuffed toy with a grin, "let's just enjoy the show."

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The sky was darker than ever and now thunder rumbled and roared. But this was no regular tempest, but one brought about boy unnatural (or even supernatural means).

Only a few people continued to wander in the deserted town and these were only the newcomers. Some of them met in the middle of an empty intersection.

Hakkai and Yaone acknowledged Gojyo and Dokugakuji curtly. Now was not the time for inane pleasantries, and all of them had very serious expressions on their faces.

"Heading towards the storm's center too?" Hakkai asked though he did not wait for the answer.

"It's kinda hard to miss," Gojyo replied quickly.

They all started running in the same direction, towards the outskirts of the town.

"I'm sure Kougaiji-sama is on his way as well," Yaone commented.

"Heck, I bet Sanzo's already there," Goyjo commented, "he sensed it earlier than all of us."

None of them mentioned that the reason for their delay was that they had all been preoccupied. And none of them wondered about Goku and Lirin's whereabouts either. Fate had a funny way of bringing all of them together during crucial moments.

True enough, after a few moments, they all heard the distinct sound of gunshots close by.

And only a few moments later, Kougaiji had joined their group. He nodded curtly to Gojyo and Hakkai and did not seem to mind their presence so much.

They all decided that their best bet was to follow the sound of the angry monk's shots. It also helped that there was a trail of cigarettes to show them the way.

And soon enough, they all found themselves assembled at a peculiar looking field of ruins. They found Sanzo engaged in a heated argument/battle with a group of hooded figures who were dodging his bullets with ease. They also noted that Sanzo's opponents made no real attempt to strike him down.

Behind them, was a small altar-like area surrounded by pillars with seemingly-live, snake-like vines.

It took a few moments for Hakkai, Gojyo, and Kougaiji's group to realize that Sanzo wasn't so much shooting at the monks but at the creeping vines which were fast growing and sealing the area marked by the pillars. He was making little progress, however, since the plant barrier would instantly regenerate after every puncture of the gun.

Something was glowing within the botanic barrier, and the monks clearly wanted to contain whatever caused that bright light.

"What the hell is that?" Gojyo asked, echoing everyone else's thoughts. They all had a sense that Sanzo was not to be bothered with questions just yet (although the hooded monks weren't exactly going on the offensive with the blond one).

Just before one of these holes was covered up, they all caught a brief glimpse of the unmistakable figures of Goku and Lirin in a seemingly tight embrace. In fact, the two even seemed to be kissing.

But before they could ascertain what they had seen, the hole was closed and they were all left to process the scene on their own. They all stared in wide-eyed disbelief, and for a few moments, they were frozen where they stood.

"No way," the youkai brothers exclaimed simultaneously.

"I must be hallucinating," Kougaiji thought, putting a hand to his forehead, convinced that his mind was playing nasty tricks on him.

Hakkai and Yaone looked at each other and merely exchanged looks of utter incredulity.

"Impossible," they all thought.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU ALL STANDING AROUND THERE FOR?"

Their collective reverie was interrupted by a loud and angry complaint from Sanzo who paused in his campaign against the hooded monks and had run towards his remaining companions and Kougaiji's group.

To reinforce his point, the annoyed monk raised his spirit gun and fired a random shot into the air. This was enough to make the others snap out of their trance of disbelief.

"What's going on here, Genjo Sanzo?" Kougaiji asked the monk angrily, all his elder brotherly instincts flaring up dangerously.

Sanzo frowned and lit a cigarette calmly, since he had gotten their undivided attention.

The hooded monks ignored them now since Sanzo had stopped threatening their barrier. They seemed relieved that the irritable monk had stopped his attacks and now they concerned themselves mostly with standing guard silently and protecting the barrier they had built around the glowing figures within.

"Well?" Kougaiji asked threateningly.

"You don't want to know," Sanzo answered enigmatically, blowing a puff of smoke.

Naturally, this response only enraged the already upset youkai prince so Dokugakuji and Yaone immediately went to restrain him.

"That's my sister in there," Kougaiji almost yelled, "I have a right to know what the hell your little pet is doing to her!"

"Really, Sanzo, this isn't the time to be mysterious," Gojyo told the monk seriously.

"Hmmph," Sanzo replied scornfully, "it's not like I knew about it all along. Believe me, if I had known, we wouldn't be standing here now."

He needed a little break after dealing with the crazy monks and he needed to figure out what to do next. And now, he had to explain a really complex situation to a bunch of tardy idiots. His mood was not getting any better.

The blond monk jerked his head in the direction of the hooded prophets who had all faced the dome-like structure their barrier had created and began chanting incomprehensibly with their hands raised.

"The prophets of the power," Sanzo explained quickly, "for years they kept harping on about some prophecy which involved the Union of Two Destructive Forces. And apparently, those forces are our little brats there."

"That still doesn't explain why your monkey has his tongue down my sister's throat!" Kougaiji protested loudly.

"Hey," Sanzo snapped, "I'm not responsible for everything that idiotic monkey does in his spare time! They were already lip-locking when I got here and now, whatever great power that comes about from their sudden relationship is about to be harnessed by these lunatics!"

"Well, maybe you should keep that crazy monkey of yours on a leash!" Kougaiji snapped.

"Don't be stupid," Sanzo responded, glaring at the other man sharply, "you know very well that we couldn't do that, even if we wanted to."

Kougaiji calmed down slightly and focused his attention on the circle of hooded monks who were now engaged in some bizarre ritual. Their hands were raised above their heads as they chanted and they seemed to be drawing tendrils of light from the dome they had created. The Union of Two Destructive Forces indeed.

When they all thought about it, Goku and Lirin did make a formidable pair. They all knew the immense power the golden-eyed boy was capable of and for all her silliness, Lirin's parentage was still quite impressive. The group shuddered to think of how much damage this prophesied power could inflict on the world.

Hakkai and Gojyo, now slightly enlightened on the situation, now began to figure out what course of action to take. They approached Sanzo and began to discuss their options.

Yaone and Dokugakuji nodded to them, trusting them to find a solution while they struggled to calm down the incensed youkai prince who was still fuming over Lirin's seeming indiscretion.

"Obviously negotiating with them is out of the question," Hakkai said to Sanzo, "so what do you propose we do now?"

"Darn it," Gojyo complained with slight amusement, scratching his head, "that silly monkey sure picked a fine time for his hormones to kick in!"

"I never expected him to develop feelings for Lirin, though," Hakkai said, "how strange."

"Ch," Sanzo muttered, smoking his cigarette further, "this isn't the work of a moment. They must have been gradually developing some sort of connection even before either of them realized it."

While the remaining members of Sanzo's party discussed, Kougaiji had approached the dome and the monks.

"LIRIN!" Kougaiji was yelling towards the barrier.

"No use doing that," the blond monk told the infuriated youkai prince, "I tried calling out to either of them even right before the barrier was complete. They're beyond us now."

If the situation wasn't so dire and confusing, the others would have found this sickeningly romantic. Gojyo could already think of several jokes he could tell about such a situation.

"And don't underestimate those prophets either," Sanzo added, "they may look weak and crazy but they have some power that's worth fighting."

Kougaiji and his group decided that for the moment, it would be wise to consult Sanzon on what to do. The older brother was still angry about Goku and his sister but his more immediate concern was freeing Lirin from the clutches of the suspicious mystics.

"Are they even human?" Yaone asked.

"As far as I know, yes," Sanzo replied, "but it seems that they've been dabbling in some really dark stuff lately, forbidden arts and all that."

"And you mentioned that they were trying to harness the power emanating from Goku and Lirin's … 'union'," Hakkai said, picking his words carefully but unable to avoid a glare from Kougaiji.

"Yep," Sanzo answered.

"What do they plan to use it for?" Dokugakuji asked next.

"No idea," the blond monk replied indifferently, "probably world domination or something lame like that, I don't really care. The important thing is such a great source of power should not fall into the wrong hands."

Sanzo turned his purple eyes to the crazed hooded figures. Clearly, they were not the type of people to be trusted with anything.

"What are we waiting for, then?" Kougaiji said impatiently, clenching his fist, "let's get rid of them now!"

"Be my guest," Sanzo said nonchalantly, but Kougaiji was no longer listening.

Instead, he and his companions brandished their weapons and started attacking the cloaked mystics, disrupting their ritual.

"Sanzo, what are you planning?" Hakkai asked skeptically, readying his chi ball for an attack.

"Why aren't you doing anything?" Gojyo said, glaring at the monk, "why aren't WE doing anything?"

"If those weirdoes could be so easily defeated," Sanzo said, "don't you think I would have gotten rid of them by now?"

"A strategy would be useful though," Hakkai suggested, "what do you know about them after facing those monks in a fight?"

Kougaiji and company soon realized that they were up against some challenging opponents. Every hooded figure somehow managed to deflect the attacks leveled at them. Even Dokugakuji's sword and Yaone's explosives had no effect on the barrier or on the strange men guarding it.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE THESE PEOPLE?" Kougaiji asked in annoyance as another one of his attacks was deflected. He was already about to summon a demon of flame when he noticed that Sanzo and his companions were not contributing to the fight.

Kougaiji glared at Sanzo, who merely stood to the side indifferently.

"Why didn't you say that they couldn't be so easily defeated?" Kougaiji roared at the monk.

"Would you have listened, you cocky idiot?" Sanzo retorted, "don't blame me if you choose to go charging head on without a plan."

Dokugakuji had to restrain his master while Hakkai stepped in to try and prevent some carnage.

"Now, now," the green-eyed man said, "this isn't the time to argue amongst ourselves."

"Well, that monk of yours better have some sort of plan or else I'll…" Kougaiji threatened while the others tried to calm him down.

They all decided that things were complicated enough so they had to take everything one step at a time. The first priority was to free Goku and Lirin from the clutches of the prophets. They would deal with the unexpected romance later on.

The Prophets of the Power had resumed their ritual, without bothering with the intruders. Apparently, the mystics did not see the others as much of a threat. Such indifference and fearlessness only served to irk the group further.

"Yeah, seriously, Sanzo," Gojyo asked impatiently, "how are we supposed to get through to Goku and defeat these prophet people?"

"I take it you can't use your sutra on them?" Hakkai asked. Sanzo shook his head.

Suddenly, one of the hooded monks addressed them gravely.

"Genjo Sanzo," he said in an old, gravelly voice, "we have restrained from killing you and your comrades so far out of respect for your position. But if you continue to disrupt this sacred ceremony, we will be forced to take drastic measures."

Sanzo narrowed his eyes at the head prophet. The figure was tall and imposing and yet his face was still shrouded by his cloak. In fact, none of the prophets had shown any of their faces, even after extensive fighting with Sanzo, Kougaiji, and the others.

"They're not my comrades," he said simply, "and we have no intention of being defeated by a bunch of crackpot old losers obsessed with gaining a power that isn't their own."

"You cannot stop us now," the leader replied, "fate has decided, and there is no power on earth now that can change anything."

"Shut up already," Sanzo retorted, cocking his gun and aiming it at the hooded figure, "I take no orders from you or from fate. I make my own path."

"I think it's time we take these guys seriously," Gojyo said, brandishing his weapon.

In a few moments, they had gathered around the circle of monks, each one facing a prophet. Only the leader faced them however, as the others were busy on the ritual.

"You will die for what you've done to my sister," Kougaiji growled, his claw ready and glowing with great energy.

Yaone and Dokugakuji were ready to fight as well but they noticed that their opponents seemed weaker now than they were only moments ago.

Hakkai and Gojyo realized this as well and looked at Sanzo knowingly.

"Well, what do you know?" Gojyo teased, "our stupid monk wasn't just wasting time after all?"

"What are you talking about?" Kougaiji asked angrily.

"These crazy prophets used up most of their energy doing the ritual that we're going to stop," Dokugakuji explained, "we can defeat them easily now."

"Hmmph," Sanzo replied although he still looked warily at the leader standing before him, now too weak to defend himself.

But Sanzo and the others were somehow still suspicious. The calmness of their opponents in the face of certain death unnerved them greatly.

"But this is easy," Hakkai thought, "far too easy."

And he could see that the others felt just as wary.

All this made them hesitate before dealing any blow on the mystics before them.

"Ch," Sanzo muttered, "what other dirty trick do you kooks have up your sleeves?"

"Hmm," the leader of the prophets replied, and though Sanzo could not see his face, the former was pretty sure that the idiot was grinning with satisfaction.

"You're a very cautious man, Genjo Sanzo," the leader spoke, "and I commend you for it."

"Cut the crap," Sanzo retorted, pushing his gun further at the leader, "what are you not telling us?"

"If you kill us," the leader said sinisterly, "you'll kill them too."

At this he jerked his head towards the sealed area. Sanzo and the others frowned and cursed at this.

"Lies!" cried Kougaiji angrily, "you're bluffing!"

And with that, he tore down the hooded figure before him and the dead prophet crumpled into a messy heap before Kougaiji's feet.

"Lord Kougaiji!" Yaone and Dokugakuji cried out in alarm.

"You fool!" Sanzo yelled, and they all heard the unmistakably maniacal laughter of the head prophet.

In an instant, the dome of the barrier glowed brighter and soon became transparent. The prophets turned to continue the ritual, but now the sacrifices were visible.

Sanzo, Kougaiji and the others gaped in incredulity at the figures of Goku and Lirin, still locked in a tight embrace, and still kissing each other passionately, unaware of their surroundings.

"Whoa," Gojyo could not help but comment, "talk about one long make-out session."

But what alarmed them the most was the sight of long cuts appearing on the necks of the two young youkai. As if slashed by invisible blades, parts of their necks began to bleed although the two were still unconscious of these new injuries and continued their amorous activity.

"If you kill any more of us," the head prophet explained darkly, "those cuts will go all around their little necks. And all will be lost."

"You've got to be kidding me," Kougaiji exclaimed in exasperation and guilt over causing some pain to his sister.

They all frowned and cursed under their breath while the prophets resumed their ritual.

"This is so inconvenient," Sanzo muttered in vexation, "but then again, quite easy to resolve."

He exchanged a knowing glance with the others and they all nodded in comprehension.

"Why do they always underestimate us?" Hakkai said, shaking his head.

"We can't kill you, huh?" Gojyo said with a grin, "in that case, we'll just have to keep you alive."

The group dropped their weapons and raised their fists eagerly.

"..barely."


	4. This Force Irresistible

_Disclaimer: Am I Minekura Kazuya? No. Do I own Saiyuki? No._

_NOTE: Since the last chapter was told in the point of view of the others, this one will focus more on Goku and Lirin's perspective. The previous chapter took a turn that even I didn't expect so I decided to split the event into two perspectives in two chapters._

_After all, you're probably wondering what those two were busy doing while Sanzo and Kougaiji's groups were arguing. So we're backtracking a little bit to where the second chapter ended._

_It will be a bit cheesy so forgive me for that. There will be action too, though, since the story nears its end and this is the penultimate chapter._

_Hope you enjoy this one._

**Chapter Four: This Force Irresistible**

Lirin couldn't bring herself to meet Goku's eyes as he walked closer to her. There was an intensity in his gaze that both frightened and fascinated her. She didn't know what to do about it.

Now that they had decided on realizing the dream, she wasn't so sure about herself anymore.

She hadn't even noticed that her hands were trembling until he took them in his.

"Hey," he said gently, lifting her chin up so that she could look at him, "it's just me."

At this she forced herself to look at him, and the moment green met gold, all her hesitation just disappeared.

Lirin nodded and gave him a small smile. He smiled back as well as sighed with relief. He wasn't going to take it against her if she changed her mind, but he really did not want her to.

If they had been the more thoughtful type, they would have stopped to consider why they bothered to do this at all, even for curiosity's sake. But they seldom spent too much time thinking and analyzing situations. They preferred to take things as they came.

So, while they both still had the guts to go through with it, they closed their eyes and leaned forward. Goku captured Lirin's lips with his and for the next few moments, they were both drowning in a sensation completely alien to them.

The meeting of soft flesh against flesh was at first surprising, and then, as they got used to the feeling, absolutely breathtaking. Instinctively, Goku pulled Lirin closer to him and she leaned easily into his embrace, her hands resting on his chest. They reveled in the experience of their first kiss, and neither ever imagined it to be this good.

Neither two youkai noticed the glowing light that had surrounded them as they kissed, nor the fact that the vines on the pillars were unwinding and quickly forming a barrier around them. All they could feel was the force coming from within them, more than a feeling or emotion but a power that neither understood and yet both of them refused to let it go. It was invigorating, refreshing, and liberating, like there was nothing in the world that could spoil their current state of happiness.

Though strange at first, the force grew and they both knew that it was futile to resist it. So instead they succumbed to this building passion within them.

But eventually, they had to break apart for air, and while struggling to breathe, they looked at each other wordlessly, their eyes wide with the newness of the circumstances.

"This feels right," their eyes seemed to be expressing, and now, they were no longer embarrassed or shy about it.

After staring at each other for a few more minutes, they silently decided that they had not had enough. This time, their lips met with greater ease, and both opened their mouths slightly to deepen the kiss. Lirin's arms went around Goku's neck and pulled him deeper into the kiss while he tightened his hold around her. They had both discovered why other people enjoyed this activity so much.

However, neither of them knew that what they were feeling was not common to every couple. More than attraction and affection, there was a great power that was amassing between them, as a result of their unique backgrounds.

After all, something extraordinary was bound to come out from the union between the powerful and unconquerable spirit of the earth and the daughter of Gyumao himself. This was what the "prophets of the power" had been wanting for years, had been planning and preparing to control for their own sick purposes.

And yet for the two youkai involved, this was a new, wonderfully unexpected chapter in their lives. The thrill and euphoria that gathered within them intensified as the minutes passed because they were gradually realizing that this whole development was not to be attributed to the dream alone.

No, the dream had merely been a clearer vision and articulation of what had been developing between them long before it. They had been too blind and confused to understand that their feelings towards each other had been undergoing a slow, careful, but significant change.

In the past few encounters Sanzo's party had with Kougaiji's group, there had been something markedly different about the way they bickered with and dueled each other. Not that those two groups were ever truly serious about confrontations.

Sometimes Sanzo believed Kougaiji was just passing the time when he went to see them, and the monk was not too far from the truth. For however necessary it was for them to procure Sanzo's sutra, Kougaiji and the others could never bring themselves to really maim Sanzo's party, and the same went for the latter (although Sanzo really couldn't care less.)

After all, Dokugakuji and Gojyo were brothers, there was a grudging respect between the leaders Kougaiji and Sanzo, and there was more to be said about the mutual understanding between Hakkai and Yaone. Such a strange pair of "enemies" they made, never truly antagonistic towards the other. So it happened that Goku and Lirin somehow began thinking of each other less as enemies than as something else entirely.

Perhaps the attraction had something to do with their endless appetites or their similar lively personalities. They were both childish and stubborn but fiercely determined to protect their friends. Next to Hakkai and Yaone, Goku and Lirin were among the more soft-hearted and kind members of their respective groups. The more they had pondered on the matter, the more they had slowly realized that they had so much in common, after all.

But being similarly slow on the uptake (and partly in denial of such contradicting emotions), they had not understood the change that had began in their hearts some time ago. They teased and sparred with each other as usual but there was already some awkwardness and a greater reluctance between them which they had been unable to explain.

And they weren't completely to blame for being oblivious to their feelings. After all, their companions had not noticed it either despite being sharper observers. Probably because it had seemed like such a ridiculous notion – Goku and Lirin coming together. Their friends and family had not believed them mature enough for such things. It had seemed too far-fetched and just downright crazy.

But where the two young youkai stood now, locked in a passionate embrace, oblivious to their darkening surroundings, none of all these confusing considerations mattered any longer. They had been in love with each other for quite some time and it was only now that they were fully taking advantage of this new and exciting fact. Their bodies seemed to understand it more than their minds, so they were reacting to each other naturally.

And they had to admit that it had been quite a while since either of them had felt even remotely as happy.

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The power springing from Goku and Lirin's kiss was unlike anything in the world, and with the initial realization of their attraction to each other, the emerging force was still not yet at its maximum strength. As their relationship would progress, the more power would grow from their being together.

But the prophets did not know about this and merely believed that at the point of contact between the two strong beings, the greatest weapon on earth would emerge. Through various means were they able to divine the date, the hour, and the exact spot where this union would first take place, and now, they were beginning a ritual they had practiced and perfected for many long years.

Harnessing this new power was the only purpose of their existence; this moment was what they had been waiting for so patiently and diligently. Though these prophets wandered through the land for many years, they only did so to pass the time and to gather whatever useful skills they would need for this monumental event.

Though they were spiritual practitioners, they were still a separate sect, functioning all on their own. Sanzo and the other monks were aware of their existence but did not pay them much attention since they seemed quite mad and obsessed with the vaguest of prophecies. There were times that they would lose the trail of what they sought, that they would stumble upon unions of other powers.

But on that day, they were absolutely certain. The Seiten Taisei and the spawn of Gyumao were definitely the forces the prophets had been waiting for all along. And they were not going to let this opportunity slip past them.

Unfortunately for the mystics, they had been so engrossed with the ritual to harness the amazing power that they had made little allowances for defense in case anyone tried to attack them. After all, they had always been either ignored or treated like non-threatening lunatics so they had never worried about being interrupted in their schemes.

And they certainly had not anticipated being ambushed by adversaries as powerful and as annoyed as the combined forces of Sanzo's party and Kougaiji's group. So needless to say, the prophets were losing, even after all their threats to their enemies about the consequences of killing them.

Whatever strength and power the mystics had had to initially defend themselves against Sanzo and the others had now significantly waned as this power was never meant to be theirs in the first place, and they had no way of controlling it.

Therefore, while Goku and Lirin continued in their oblivious state of bliss, the barriers fell and the mystics were one by one being knocked out by the annoyed and impatient companions.

"For all your crazy spiritual mumbo-jumbo, you guys are really pathetic, after all," Gojyo muttered as he beat up a hapless hooded monk.

"They made the fatal mistake of underestimating us," Hakkai commented as he knocked out another one, "and now they're paying the price."

"This is what happens when you try to fight using powers you stole from others and not using your own strength," Sanzo remarked, kicking a monk while nonchalantly smoking a cigarette, "crazy fools should have known that."

"They're even weaker than I imagined," Dokugakuji said, "their defenses only held at the start."

The youkai easily beat up his opponent and now he seemed really bored by the fight. He was more concerned with what would happen afterwards.

"At least, we can get this whole mess sorted out soon," Yaone said good-naturedly, as she punched a hooded mystic in the gut.

"I doubt it will be as simple as you say, Yaone-san," Hakkai told her with a smile, jerking his head to where Kougaiji was maniacally unleashing his fury on a pitiful prophet.

Yaone saw his meaning immediately and sighed. They shared a look of comprehension and shook their heads at their companions.

Kougaiji was still visibly upset by Goku's involvement with his sister, and since the furious older brother could still not have his revenge on the golden-eyed youkai, Kougaiji was letting his anger out on the pathetic monk before him. But even beating up the people trying to manipulate Goku and Lirin was not satiating his desire for vengeance.

Seeing the young couple continue with their kissing, unaware of their surroundings, only served to exacerbate the situation.

"When I get my hands on that monkey, I swear I'm going to …" Kougaiji cried out in exasperation. (The rest of his threats need not be mentioned here as they are the result of irrational anger and therefore too unpleasant to relate.)

"Ch," Sanzo muttered in annoyance, "I'm going to punish him as well for causing this inconvenience!"

Now, the monk wondered, how were they going to push through with their mission? Things had been complicated enough before Goku's hormones decided to manifest themselves.

And seeing the growing tension and fury building up in both Sanzo and Kougaiji's faces, the others looked at each other apprehensively. This was going to be really troublesome and they worried if they would be able to restrain the pissed off monk and the overprotective brother from slaughtering Goku.

"Looks like you've got your work cut out for you," Gojyo told Hakkai and Yaone. The red-haired half-demon was very reluctant to be caught in the cross-fire that would happen in a little while.

Hakkai and Yaone sighed heavily, both painfully aware that they would have to be the ones to placate their irked leaders.

Soon, there was only a heap of semi-conscious, moaning "prophets" lying by the side of the ruins, which continued to be basked in the ethereal glow of Goku and Lirin's amazing power. The prophets had never expected that Sanzo, Kougaiji, and the others would make good on their promise of keeping them barely alive but this only showed how ignorant they were about their opponents to begin with.

They all moaned despondently about their current situation. More than the physical injury they had suffered under the hands of their fierce adversaries, they were devastated by the fact that they had been unable to complete the ritual that they had been preparing their whole lives for. And now, it was too late to start again. The one chance they had been given to acquire the prophesied power was now lost to them, and this was more painful than any blow dealt them by Sanzo and company.

Seeing them all reduced to a sniveling mass of fools, Kougaiji looked away in disgust.

"Idiots," Sanzo muttered, blowing a puff of smoke, as he looked condescendingly on the mass of hoods and bodies, "did you really think that with such little strength and true power, you'd be able to contain whatever force generated by those two lovesick children over there? How amazingly stupid of you."

"What a bunch of losers," Gojyo remarked with repulsion, "wasting all their energies on such a useless ritual. I can't believe so many actually believed in such a stupid way of life."

"You can't expect much of feeble, frightened people," Hakkai explained, though he looked at the victims with distaste, "they are weak in mind as well as in body. They couldn't have figured any of this out on their own."

"I have no respect for weaklings trying to steal the power of others," Kougaiji commented angrily, "instead of building their own strength. You're pathetic, and you don't deserve to live."

But even as he walked towards the trembling prophets with his sharp claws bared, Kougaiji remembered the source of the great power and turned at once to angrily break apart the still kissing couple. He also noted with alarm that even after the ritual had been interrupted, Goku and Lirin were still enveloped in a great light.

"Save your anger for later, Kougaiji," Sanzo warned, "with so much power exposed around those two fools, it won't be safe to approach them just yet."

"What do you mean?" Kougaiji asked fiercely but he saw that the monk had a grave expression in his purple eyes.

"I'm as eager to beat the crap out of that monkey as you are, believe me," Sanzo explained, "but at the rate they're going now, we couldn't stop them if we tried. You know as well as I do how powerful Goku is and for all her silliness, your little sister has a strength of her own."

Kougaiji nodded and the others listened gravely and carefully to what Sanzo had to say.

"You can feel the waves of energy coming from them, can't you?" the monk continued, "it's almost as if Goku isn't wearing his power limiter at all."

Though he hated to hesitate in his attack, Kougaiji knew that Sanzo spoke the truth. He could feel the great power emanating from the pair. They could all feel it. And now they understood why acquiring such great power had been so tempting to the prophets, no matter how foolish they had been in their choice of method. There was no way they could have contained such an irresistible force, even if they had not been stopped by Sanzo and the others.

More likely than not, they would have been completely destroyed, or worse, they would have unleashed greater destruction over the rest of the world. Hakkai, Gojyo, Yaone, and Dokugakuji now saw why it had still been important to defeat the mystics. Power in the wrong hands always led to disaster.

But now, they knew that they would have to wait until the power settled down somewhat around them, and they all hoped that Goku and Lirin would break apart from their kiss very soon. The sky was clearing, however, and some sunlight was peeking out from behind the dark clouds.

"So now, we wait," Dokugakuji said and the others nodded in agreement. This would give some of them time to figure out how to deal with the peculiar situation.

"What are you doing, Sanzo?" Kougaiji asked, noticing that the monk had assumed a familiar position with his hands clapped together and had begun chanting something.

The monk paused in his ritual to briefly explain himself.

"I'm going to get rid of these stupid prophets once and for all," he said simply.

The others stared at him in astonishment.

"Well, couldn't you have done that earlier and just spare us all this trouble?" Gojyo asked exasperatedly.

"If you must know," Sanzo snapped, "this particular ritual can only be done under sunlight, and we didn't have any of that earlier, did we?"

Gojyo was quiet after that and watched with the others as the sutra pages came alive behind Sanzo and the monk raised his hand and yelled a chant powerfully. Immediately, a familiar glow of spiritual energy engulfed the entire group of "prophets" and swallowed them up until they disintegrated into dust in the sunlight.

"They were neither human nor youkai," Sanzo said later on, "only weak shadows that fed off others' strength and power. The world has no need of pathetic scum like them."


	5. What Lies Ahead

_Disclaimer: Am I Minekura Kazuya? No. Do I own Saiyuki? No._

_NOTE: Welcome to the final chapter of the story. I apologize for the atrocious delay. School work has been swallowing my time but I am determined to complete this before Christmas._

_I finally finish the very first story I posted on this site more than five years ago. I have left it alone for too long and I was determined to complete it before I start any new ones. It's a whimsical tale at best and I hope you enjoyed it. As much as I love Saiyuki, I don't really have other ideas for stories to write. I will continue to read the manga and wait for the final chapters of their journey._

_I'm sorry to say there will be no sequel to this little story. I don't have the time or creativity and I don't think that it would be necessary. After this chapter, you can all pretty much guess what happens next._

_Thank you for the support and for the reviews and I hope you like the ending._

**Chapter Five: What Lies Ahead**

Reluctantly, Goku and Lirin pulled away from each other, taking deep breaths and gazing at each other intently. They were both smiling and blushing but no longer shy about what had transpired between them.

"Wow," Goku said in awe, breaking their silence. Lirin grinned back at him.

They were both at a loss for words to describe what had just happened. But they didn't mind it at all. This new and exciting journey was one they wanted to take together, and neither of them wanted to think of the consequences just yet. They would revel in their sublime moment, both unaware that their bliss had lasted for quite some time already. Time was irrelevant to them, as were their surroundings. Nothing else mattered but the person before them.

If anyone had told them the day before that they would be acting so sentimentally, they would not have believed it. But they were lost to it now, that trap that so easily ensnares even the strongest of beings.

"You're amazing, you know," Goku said breathlessly, not quite sure what else to say but feeling the need to blurt something out. Lirin simply laughed at him.

"You're not so bad yourself," she teased, causing the golden-eyed youkai to grin wider at her.

A more elaborate and eloquent declaration of their feelings was not needed. Their eyes and their expressions said everything they needed to say to each other more effectively than they could express themselves verbally.

After a few moments, they broke apart to check the rest of the world. As happy as they were, they were not sure how their companions would react to their sudden coming together. They decided to just wait for the right opportunity to let the others know, and they were relieved that they remained alone in the weird ruins.

But as they took a few steps forward, they both felt an alien resistance to their movement. Raising their hands in front of them, they felt a powerful barrier, and they immediately drew their hands back from the shock of contact. There was an instant of pain and a sudden spark as they touched the invisible wall.

"Ow!" they cried simultaneously after suddenly being stung by the remaining force of the barrier.

They looked at their palms and found one long red scratch on each hand, drops of blood shining on their skin. The cuts they had were identical. But other than these linear wounds, there was no other damage.

"Are you all right?" Goku immediately asked in concern. He grabbed Lirin's hands quickly but gently and surveyed the damage.

"I'm fine," Lirin replied with a reassuring grin, "it's nothing. What about you?"

"I've had worse, don't worry about it," the other answered nonchalantly.

The pain faded instantly and the cuts quickly became scars. Somehow, Goku and Lirin felt that these reddish scars were the strings of fate that had brought them together and that would forever link them. They could not explain how they came up with such a wild idea. It had burst upon them as suddenly as everything else had that day.

The barrier dissolved before them, and to their astonishment, the two young youkai saw that their companions were standing just a few feet from them, bearing a range of facial expressions that was more than enough to put them on their guard.

The most extreme of the reactions came from Kougaiji who, upon seeing the two disentangle themselves from each other at last, could not help but let his overprotective brother instincts take charge.

"YOU!" he yelled, his eyes smoldering and his nostrils flaring (almost as if smoke was coming out from them), "GET YOUR FILTHY PAWS OFF MY SISTER!"

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"Now, that was certainly an unexpected turn of events," Ni Jenyi chuckled to himself as he leaned back against his chair and looked away from the computer monitor which was now projecting nothing but static.

Apparently, his tracking device had been no match for the immense waves of power generated from Goku and Lirin's kiss. The tiny machine had melted soon after the two had made contact.

But the doctor was not dismayed by these results. In fact, he would have been disappointed if his tracking device had withstood the force of the union. No, he had seen more than enough to pique his interest and with his analytical and cunning mind; he would be able to figure out how the others would react to this amusing development.

As pathetic as the "prophets of the power" had been, they had revealed an angle of the overall situation which even he had not anticipated. Gyokumen Koushu would not be pleased to learn of this and Kougaiji was certainly not going to tell her about it. Ni Jenyi decided that he too would keep the secret, for as long as it was necessary. He was still curious to see how all this power was to be used.

He would not commit the same mistakes as those weak mystics. For the time being, he would let everything just play out naturally, as it was certain that the succeeding events would be immensely entertaining. And there was nothing he enjoyed more than being a satisfied spectator.

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As expected, the task of maintaining some semblance of peace and composure between the two groups fell to Hakkai and Yaone. It took some time and a great deal of effort for them to pacify the enraged Kougaiji as well as to deal with the adamant protests of the new pair of lovers.

Irritated as Sanzo was about the situation, he thankfully was sensible enough not to exacerbate it. He saw that nothing would be gained by seriously injuring the others (although he was certainly not going to show any mercy on Goku later on when he could whip out his paper fan).

He knew, however, that trying to knock some sense in the crazy monkey was a futile effort at best so there would have to something else to be done about the new relationship. He sensed that this was no temporary upsurge of hormones that would weaken and eventually disappear as they days went by. If it was as serious as the two claimed it was then they would all have to contend with a great number of inconveniences.

Sanzo did not relish the idea of dealing with even more distractions and delays on their mission. But then again, he didn't have a choice in the matter.

As the labored discussions began, the two youkai spoke more earnestly than anyone had ever heard them talk before and professed their love for each other and the apparently serious nature of their new relationship. Lirin constantly reassured her brother that the kiss and embrace had been completely consensual and that she had no regrets or shame about her recent actions.

Goku was also trying to justify and explain his actions, though he was not quite sure how the others were taking it. Gojyo just burst into a fit of laughter, causing Goku and Lirin to blush, while Sanzo and Kougaiji merely glared at the two distastefully.

Hakkai and Yaone merely sighed deeply but could not conceal their smiles of amusement at all that had taken place. They exchanged a knowing look that showed how much they were restraining themselves from laughing at the whole affair.

The circumstances were convoluted beyond recognition, and neither team (except the two love-struck young youkai) knew how to resolve it to everyone's satisfaction. Either way, a shift in allegiance would be necessary. The other option would be a betrayal but this did not appeal to anyone at the moment.

"Whoa," Gojyo commented to his older brother as the red-haired half-breed scratched his head in both amusement and puzzlement, "just how are we going to sort this whole mess out?"

"I'm just glad that I'm not the leader of our group," Dokugakuji replied, "I don't want to be burdened with the decision on what to do in this case. I'll simply go with whatever Kougaiji chooses."

"And as much as I don't always agree with him," Gojyo answered with a grin, "I'm going to let Sanzo handle this one. It's his monkey involved, after all."

"Now, now, I think we can all discuss better once we've all calmed down," Hakkai repeated for the nth time as Yaone struggled to keep Kougaiji from attacking Goku.

"Well, what do you propose we do, huh?" Kougaiji snapped, "our situation is complicated enough as it is."

"Don't we all know that," Sanzo muttered sarcastically, "do you honestly believe that we wanted this to happen?"

"I don't regret anything I feel for your sister," Goku piped in earnestly, only earning a glare from the other youkai.

"Neither do I," Lirin added, quickly coming to his defense.

Sanzo frowned while Kougaiji shook his head in disgust. Hakkai and Yaone sighed while Gojyo and Dokugakuji were struggling to maintain their composure.

"Clearly, they're the only ones happy about this," Hakkai thought as he exchanged yet another knowing look with Yaone, who nodded at him.

But then again, Hakkai thought, there was more to be gained from an alliance than an ongoing feud. And though he had been trying to banish any selfish thoughts, he could not help but think that he would not mind spending more time with Yaone should the situation allow for it.

And little did he know that the shy young alchemist shared his feelings on the matter. But both were far too selfless and kind to voice their approval of an alliance and too unsure of each other's feelings to even admit these to themselves.

"This is such a nuisance," Sanzo muttered, lighting a cigarette irritably. He silently cursed the heavens (and especially the goddess who so enjoyed tormenting him) for making his mission even more annoying and complicated.

To the monk's further exasperation, the others (except Kougaiji, of course) didn't seem too bothered by the situation. In fact, they mostly seemed amused by it, more than anything.

Hakkai, Yaone, Dokugakuji, and Gojyo did the honors of recounting to the two what had happened with the prophets and the ritual that they had been in the middle of during the revelation of their feelings. Goku and Lirin listened to the story with astonishment and the others immediately knew that the two had been wholly unaware of what had been happening around them all that time.

After much violent argumentation, both groups decided that there was no point in trying to break up the newly formed couple. They were clearly determined to love each other with all the passion and recklessness of youth.

And though the other tried to convince themselves that this was just the hormones raging and that the whole affair would be short-lived, they knew better. The now-dead prophets' obsession with the union of the two powers and the whole hullabaloo that had just transpired was indication enough that this was not to be an ordinary, temporary relationship.

What bound Goku and Lirin together was a force stronger than any physical or emotional attraction. And with the forging of this new bond, the couple also linked their respective groups almost inextricably.

In the end, all of them were so exhausted from all the fighting and debating that they settled on allowing the relationship to continue, but discreetly (meaning unknown to Lirin's mother.) For the sake of all outward appearances, at least for the time being until a more convenient and appropriate measure was discovered, Sanzo's party and Kougaiji's group would remain enemies. But whenever opportunity presents itself, the two young youkai would be (reluctantly) allowed to pursue their relationship.

It was all too maddeningly complicated and none had the strength or will to resolve everything in the span of one day. It had been eventful enough.

They would work out all the details some other time. For the time being, they would defer any attempts to kill each other. That would have to do.

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With a satisfied smirk, the Goddess of Mercy put down her binoculars and returned to her throne. Sitting comfortably and leaning back, she chuckled softly.

"Watching the goings on in the mortal world is always so diverting," she thought, "no matter how much you anticipate what they'll do, they always manage to give you a pleasant surprise."

Resting her gaze lazily on the lotus pond before her, the playfully pensive goddess mused further on the future of her favorite four wanderers and the not-so-new additions to their group.

"What a bunch of characters you are," she said sardonically, as if addressing them, "you haven't even fulfilled your mission yet and already you're taking side-trips."

She shook her head in mock disapproval but her grin only grew wider.

"But this is a more than welcome distraction, I think," she continued her reflections, "and even from the very beginning, it was more about the journey than the destination. One can always rely on these guys for some great entertainment. So far, they have not let me down."

She sighed as she leaned back and looked up to the brilliantly illuminated sky of the heavens and pondered on the stark contrast between the boring tranquility of the palace and the delightful chaos of the world below. But for all the differences and distance, everything was connected, woven together in an intricate and ineffable tapestry of destiny. Even the smallest change in the mortal world would reverberate across the distance. And the goddess agreed that a change was necessary, not only to banish the intense monotony of divine life, but to somehow bring more significance to it.

But she did not dwell on such lofty considerations as these were not going to happen overnight. For the moment, she concerned herself with the developments between Sanzo's Party and Kougaiji's strange little family. They had reached a turning point in their already peculiar relationship that was sure to test their allegiances in the days to come.

"The journey ahead of you is fraught with danger and dilemmas that you could not have imagined," the Goddess of Mercy pronounced, "and you're going to need all your strength and your wits about you when you face the coming trials. But you're a tough crew, and I'm pretty confident that you'll sort it out somehow. You always do."

After all, they weren't ordinary humans or youkai. Even after five hundred years, they retained their essence, their personalities, and their unique strengths. And as for the other group, they can no longer deny the connection that existed between them and their so-called enemies.

"Time always calls for change," the Goddess of Mercy remarked earnestly, "and the sooner they realize that they need to work together, the better. As soon as they get past the initial differences, they must settle into an inevitable alliance."

-FINIS-

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_At long, long last._

_Yay. A landmark achievement. This was my very first attempt at fan fiction and though I effectively abandoned it for five years, being engrossed in other things and having better ideas for stories, I decided to bring some closure to this. And I'm glad I did. This is one less incomplete story to my name!_

_I have been a fan of Saiyuki for so many years and yet this is my only attempt at writing fan fiction for this wonderfully kick ass series._

_So this is my humble contribution to this awesome fandom. I suppose I'm one of the few people who enjoy Saiyuki het pairings._

_I hope you liked my silly little take on the cute pairing of Goku/Lirin and my little hints of Hakkai/Yaone. I love Saiyuki with a passion but I cannot come up with really good ideas for fan fiction and I am too anxious waiting for the chapters of Saiyuki Reload Blast to come out. I will stick with them to the end, no matter how long it takes!_

_But I'm glad that this short and silly little story amused some of you and I honestly appreciate all the support that you've given me (especially considering I left this story on hiatus for more than five years.) I was pleasantly surprised to see that some people still found an interest in an almost abandoned piece. But I wanted to finish what I started and now I'm just glad and relieved that I did._

_Thank you so much to those who left a review for this silly story of mine: Kitsune86, brave kid, and narutodragon._

_Thank you very much as well to those who added this story to their list of favorites: brave kid, pantherjtg, and YaoiIsMyAddiction._

_And as for those who put this on story alert, thank you, and I'm happy to say that you will wait no longer for any updates: brave kid, mistic fox, narutodragon, and YaoiIsMyAddiction._

_Now, to all those who read, review, faved this story after I've posted this, let me say my thanks in advance. I always appreciate any feedback on my strange and imperfect writing style. Hope you enjoy the story._

_A final thank you before all this comes to a close._


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